CHOCOLATE BROWNIE PUDDING

Done with chocolate now that Valentine’s Day is past?  Didn’t think so.  This irresistible dessert shows up in all kinds of regional cookbooks, but has been made famous by Ina Garten.  Fairly simple prep—but it does need a bain marie.  So make sure your casserole dish fits inside a large baking pan so you can bake the pudding in a hot water bath. Have butter and eggs at room temperature.  Pudding will firm up the longer it cools. This version, with dark cocoa powder and an optional shot of Kahlua or other flavored liqueur, make this a dinner party favorite.  Right at home on your kitchen table too.

• 2 sticks butter—1 cup
• 4 eggs
• ¾ cup dark cocoa powder
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tblsp Kahlua, or other flavored liqueur

Melt the butter, remove from heat and let cool.  In a stand mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar at medium speed for 8-10 minutes—until mixture is thick and pale yellow.  Meanwhile, sift together cocoa powder and flour—set aside.  When egg/sugar mixture is well beaten, add the vanilla and liqueur, and the flour/cocoa mix.  Beat only until combined.  With mixer running slowly, pour in the melted, cooled butter.  Mix just until combined.  Pour into a well-buttered casserole dish, then put dish in larger roasting pan.  Add hot water to roasting pan, halfway up the casserole dish.  Place in a pre-heated, 325’ oven for exactly 60 minutes.  Cool for at least 20-30 minutes—serve with scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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